
Andrew Poelstra
Works for Blockstream Research, focusing on cryptography and scripting in Bitcoin.
Top 3 podcasts with Andrew Poelstra
Ranked by the Snipd community

Feb 2, 2024 • 1h 16min
S15 E17: Andrew Poelstra on Covenants (OP_CAT vs OP_CTV)
Andrew Poelstra, mathematician and head of research at Blockstream, discusses covenants in Bitcoin Script, including op CAT and op CTV. The chapter explores the functionalities of op codes dupe and cat, the limitations of CTV, and the potential solution of CAT for more flexible transactions. They also discuss personal experiences with Wasabi and JoinMarket, the integration of Wasabi and Shop N Bit, and the future improvements needed in Bitcoin.

May 12, 2025 • 4h 5min
btc++ Austin 2025 Live Desk Day 1
Average Gary, representing HashPool, discusses mining shares as eCash tokens, enhancing the efficiency of mining operations. Super Testnet shares insights on improving Lightning Network privacy, while Dusty Detmer elaborates on splicing for adjustable channel sizes. Andrew Polstra from Blockstream Research dives into Bitcoin cryptography, stressing the impact of innovation. Liam Eagan explores Bitcoin roll-ups, highlighting potential scalability solutions. Together, they navigate the evolving landscape of Bitcoin technology, fostering collaboration and privacy-enhancing tools.

Aug 27, 2023 • 1h 1min
A Paper Computer for Bitcoin? Codex32 with Andrew Poelstra (SLP506)
A ‘paper computer’ for Bitcoin checksums and Shamir Secret Sharing may seem absurd, but that’s what we’re talking about in this episode! This project is a scheme to generate, encode, checksum, split and recover Bitcoin secret keys, using pencil, paper and lookup tables (alternately, volvelles). We discuss codex32 and the motivation behind it with Andrew Poelstra (Director of Research, Blockstream). Note this is the first of a two part episode. In this first part we discuss:
Bitcoin private keys today
Multi signature and Shamir Secret Sharing contrasted
Where to keep shards or keys
Error correction
Risks with Hardware wallets (even though you should still use them)
BIP39 vs codex32
Limitations of the paper computer (Volvelles)
Links:
codex32 website
codex32 github
Blockstream store
Sponsors:
Pacific Bitcoin Festival (code LIVERA)
CoinKite.com (code LIVERA)
Mempool.space
Base58
SL links:
Follow me on Twitter @stephanlivera
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